About the Church
St Francis's Church in Riga (Rīgas Svētā Franciska baznīca) is a Roman Catholic church in Riga's Maskava suburb (Maskavas forštate), on Katoļu Street. It arose on the site of a former Catholic house of prayer.
The church's cornerstone was blessed in 1889, and the church was consecrated in 1892. It was designed by the architect Florian von Wiganowski. The building was erected in the Gothic Revival style, and its plan recalls French Romanesque basilicas.
The church is built of red brick, with the window and door surrounds and pilasters picked out with yellow-brick details, and it rests on granite foundations. Above the church rise two towers, about 58 metres high. The interior consists of three aisles, and in the mid-20th century it was restored drawing inspiration from the Basilica of St Francis in Assisi.
St Francis's Church remains a living centre of Catholic prayer and community life in Riga, and its Gothic Revival appearance stands out in the city's skyline.
The church's cornerstone was blessed in 1889, and the church was consecrated in 1892. It was designed by the architect Florian von Wiganowski. The building was erected in the Gothic Revival style, and its plan recalls French Romanesque basilicas.
The church is built of red brick, with the window and door surrounds and pilasters picked out with yellow-brick details, and it rests on granite foundations. Above the church rise two towers, about 58 metres high. The interior consists of three aisles, and in the mid-20th century it was restored drawing inspiration from the Basilica of St Francis in Assisi.
St Francis's Church remains a living centre of Catholic prayer and community life in Riga, and its Gothic Revival appearance stands out in the city's skyline.